We Carry On
by mafllp95
Summary: 'He went back that night knowing he shouldn't have because it would make leaving her again that much harder but he had to make sure she was okay.' A story that shows Lucy's struggle after Natsu left that fateful afternoon. Do not read if you haven't read 4168282


"So Flame Brain is really gone?" Gray asked Erza as they sat in a nearby pub. Erza nodded sadly while looking out of the pub widow. She'd hope to see a dark mass shrouded in a cloak walking by, a silent and broken guardian but she only saw a pair of birds fluttering by. Gray rubbed his temples and downed his drink in one gulp. Juvia was packing her things out of the Fairy Hills dorm and would be joining him in an hour. He smirked because she would most defiantly be on time maybe even show up early because how excited she was.

"I just can't believe he'd leave her. I mean I didn't think there was anything in the world that could tear those two apart." Gray said and at this Erza turned her attention back to her former teammate. It was she who had seen Loke carrying an unconscious Lucy back to her apartment.

"_Lucy! Loke, what happened to her?" Erza demanded as she ran to her dear friend's aid. Her face shone in confusion when she saw that Lucy was unharmed but her face was drenched with tears that were now freezing on her face. Loke's face was grim and he looked down at his broken mistress._

"_I sensed her distress and opened my gate. She was lying in the street completely exhausted and unconscious. She was clutching this." He said while balancing Lucy in his arms and retrieving the letter. Erza quickly scanned over her note and it was as if she was punched in the chest. She looked sadly to her friend who even in sleep had tears cascading down her face. _

"_He's gone. God, Natsu why would you leave?!" She asked angrily. Loke shook his head and smiled darkly. _

"_I hope he does come back stronger for I intend to make him pay for what he's done to her." He said and Erza nodded and handed Loke back the letter. He nodded a goodbye to the woman and went on his way to take Lucy home and out of the cold._

"I was furious at first. How could he just leave the guild when we are all his family? We could help him through whatever it was that he was feeling or he would, at the very least, take Lucy with him. But I realized that he needs to do this." Erza said softly and Gray looked at her incredulously.

"Oi what-" He started but the woman glared at him to be quiet.

"He lost his father and I think before Igneel passed there was something said and so much unsaid. Natsu has to analyze what his father said and discover what he didn't." Erza explained. Gray tilted his head understanding this but there was still something that bothered him.

"But why not take Lucy?" He asked. Erza had to admit she had yet to find a solid reason.

"After the grand magic games Natsu had seen Future Lucy die. I feel as though this mission that he has made for himself will be dangerous and will bring something dark. He wants to protect her from this, he can't lose her. Not again." Erza pieced. Gray stared down at the stained and sticky tabletop. Not that he would ever admit it aloud, he will miss his hot headed friend. Erza saw his smile and smiled as well.

"So, I hear that you and Juvia are also going on a long journey together." Erza said with a knowing smirk and Gray blushed.

"Y-yeah. She has proven to be powerful when she isn't stalking me." Gray stammered. Erza leaned over and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Now remember the road is a dangerous place to raise children." She said sternly. Gray quickly stood up knocking the table over in the process.  
"Oi! We aren't even dating yet and you are already talking about children." Gray yelled. Erza crossed her legs and neatly folded her hands in her lap. Her smile was bright and Gray knew he had said too much.

"So you do want to date her hmm, Gray- sama?" She said using the name that Juvia always called him. Gray yelled and ran out of the pub leaving Erza in fits of giggles.

….

The wind was blowing softly through the open window of the apartment on Strawberry Street. Lucy lay shivering in her sleep. When Loke had settled her into bed she had stirred awake.  
_"Shh relax and try and get some rest, princess" Loke instructed. He went to close the window but was stopped by her frantic cry. _

"_No! Leave it open." She said quickly. Loke didn't want to give her false hope but he didn't want to hurt her any more than she already was either. So, for tonight the window stayed open. He bowed to her and vanished back into the celestial world. Lucy took out the letter and read it over and over till she fell asleep._

A man stares from the open window at the woman huddled around the letter. He frowns and feels the ache in his chest intensify. He looks to his small friend who is trying his hardest not to make a sound but he could not help the tears that rolled down his cheeks.

The man crawled through the window and next to Lucy on the bed. Careful not to make a sound. He knew that coming back to check on her was risky. He knew how hurt she would be and knew that it would make it harder for him to go. Lucy looked so small at this moment and was shaking from the cold. Without a second thought he wrapped his scarf around her bare shoulders letting his fingers touch her skin for one last time till he come back from his journey. Her shivering stopped but the tears began to fall again.

"Natsu…Happy" She called out softly in her sleep. Natsu bit his lip and looked to Happy. The exceed couldn't take anymore and flew out the window in tears to wait for Natsu outside. Natsu was about to leave to when something made him pull back. He leaned down and softly kissed Lucy's cheek and then whispered into her ear.

"I believe in you, Lucy. I have always believed in you."

….

"_I believe in you, Lucy. I have always believed in you." _

Those words swam around in her mind all the next morning. She tightened the scarf around her, slowly inhaling the scent that could only be described as Natsu. She passed by where the guild lay in rubble and stopped. She turned and stared intently at the foundation. Lucy walked into the rubble and began to sort through it. She went to library and checked out all the construction books that she could find.

Every day she tirelessly worked with her spirits to rebuild there once proud guild. All safe for one grouchy mermaid. Lucy's heart still ached for the spirit that she would never see again and asked for constant updates whenever her other spirits arrived. By the end of the second week she had already rebuilt the exterior of the guild walls. It was much smaller and less extravagant than what the building had been but it was the guild. Master Makarov had disbanded Fairy Tail but Lucy refused to let it die. This was her home and would always be a home to those that are lost and wished to be in a family. The interior was easier to build because she could continue in construction after dark and in the rain.

Lucy didn't have enough money to pay for her rent so she moved into the guild that was still under construction. She put her things in Natsu and Happy's house and by the end of the month the bar had been rebuilt again much smaller than it originally was but Lucy didn't think Cana would mind as long as there as booze.

….

One night Lucy had awoken from her spot on the bench to the sound of the guild doors bursting open. In walked Erza, Mira, Lisanna, Elfman, Cana, Wendy, Charla, Levy, Gajeel, Lily, Laxus, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen.  
"We came as soon as we saw the guild. What else is there to build, Master?" Erza said proudly and Lucy was stunned. Lucy wanted to keep the guild going but she never expected becoming Master of Fairy Tail. If anything she thought the fifth master would have been Erza. However, it was Lucy who had literally put the Guild back together and that had posted the jobs onto the notice board. Her eyes welled with tears as her friends quickly began to put the guild back to its splendor.

….

As months passed the smaller Fairy Tail slowly began to flow back into motion. Lucy refused to accept the donations from other guilds such and Sabretooth and Blue Pegasus. She made payments for the guild just like everyone else, by working hard and going on jobs.

When Gray and Juvia arrived back in Magnolia they were shocked at the sight of the guild. When they entered the guild a small crowd of members greeted them.

"Welcome back, Gray and Juvia." Mira called from the counter as she was serving drinks to the other new guild members.

"So Gramps changed his mind?" Gray asked Lisanna as she walked by. The takeover mage smiled at him but shook her head. She motioned for them to sit at one of the tables and they did. Juvia and Gray shared a look of confusion.

"We have a new master now. Master Makarov is taking well to his long overdue retirement. Speaking of the fifth Master, she should be arriving shortly." Lisanna said and as if on cue the doors opened and in came Lucy, covered in bruises and scrapes but with a smile plastered on her lovely face. Gray noticed the scarf around her neck immediately and he expected to see the fire mage bumbling in after her but he did not come. She instead takes charge and yells at Elfman and Gajeel to take they're fight outside and reassures Wendy that she is fine while telling the young Dragon Slayer about her trip.

"He left it for her, she never takes it off" Lisanna whispered to Gray reading his questioning face. His eyes softened as he looked at his friend. He didn't have much time to feel sorry for her because in a moment he and Juvia were engulfed in a bone crushing hug from the celestial spirit mage and fifth master.

"We've all missed you both so much tell us everything about your trip." Lucy says excitedly as she lets go of the two and hands Mira the money she had received in her recent job. Lucy spent almost all of her money of the restoration and the upkeep of the guild and wouldn't go to bed until she sorted through the mountains of paperwork.

Gray and Juvia look to one another and smiled before telling everyone of their journey. Gray let Juvia talk for the most part as he observed his former teammate. She was stronger and leaner than he remembered. Though she smiled and laughed she could see the pain that lay nestled away in her dark brown eyes. She misses him, both of them, but she still fights for the guild she loves and her friends.

….

At around midnight Lucy made her usual walk home. Her apartment on Strawberry Street was no more. She now resided in Natsu and Happy's house. She kept up the maintenance and upkeep of this building as well. She found that she was actually quite skilled in management and business, a trait she believes she inherited from her father. As she showers and gets ready for bed she sighs and looks at her calendar as she does every night.

"Nine months" She whispers and sets aside the stack of papers that needs to be dealt with tomorrow. She wraps the scarf around her tighter as she crawls into bed. Every night she prays for dreamless sleep and some nights her prayers are answers other times, like tonight, she is riddled with memories and hopeless wishes. When she wakes she sighs and wipes away her tears.

"I can't keep doing this. He trusted me to take care of everyone." She said as she got out of bed and began to dress. When she was ready she picked up the papers and began walked out of the door to the guild. She smiled when she felt the warm sun on her face and buried her nose into the scarf. Even now she could still smell his scent on the scarf.

"I will make you proud, Natsu. I'll take care of everyone. Please come home when you are ready." She says softly into the breeze. From the treetops a certain man and cat hover in the sky watching the woman stride towards the guild she had rebuilt with the help of her friends. The man smiled down at her a small tear escaping from his eye. The duo had to pass over Magnolia onto the next dangerous mission so he couldn't help but check up on his favorite person in the world and see how she was doing. She was right she had made him proud.

"I'll see you soon, Luce." He whispered before motioning his friend to fly off over the city that held the people he loved and onto his next mission.

**Hello, my loves. I am pretty sure 90% of you are as heartbroken about chapter 416 and I'm not going to lie I am too. I hope that the next chapter will be similar to this because if not my poor shipper heart will just not be able to take it. Thank you for taking the time to read and please rate and review. **


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